The brief
Putting our own money behind the method
After years of advising operators, Paul Sarlas wanted to prove the approach where it matters most: in a restaurant of our own, on our own budget.
We set ourselves three tests. A cuisine people love for its flavours, recognisable enough to draw them in and distinctive enough to talk about. A price point for everyday dining, so guests would come back during the week and not only for occasions. And an operating model that was simple to run, with cost control designed in from the start.
Our think tank worked through Cuban, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Indian ideas, narrowing each to a specific region. Then Paul, who travels to Taiwan regularly and loves its food and culture, made the case for Taiwanese street food. It passed all three tests.
What we did
Every part of the restaurant, designed to work together
We found an Italian deli and café on the market in Marylebone and turned it into Bao & Bing in just under ten weeks, on a budget. Furniture came from eBay, decorative pieces from local markets, and reclaimed timber became a key design element.
The food
A menu built on Taiwan’s street-food culture, balancing favourites with lesser-known specialities: soft bao buns, dan bing egg crêpes, sharing plates and beef noodles in a broth simmered for 20 hours, with wheelcakes made fresh at the bar.
The drinks
Traditional and customisable bubble teas alongside bubble tea cocktails such as the Taichung Slammer, Yakult-based serves, alcoholic ice lollies and Taiwan beer.
The room
Interiors drawn from the teahouses of 1950s and 1960s Taipei: original memorabilia, vintage furniture, street posters, illustrations and custom neon. Downstairs, a neon-lit cocktail bar and a private teahouse made room for late nights.
The campaigns
Bao & Bing-go invited every table to pick a number for the chance to have their meal on the house. Each month a secret dish was written in Taiwanese characters on the LED display, and guests who decoded it could order it.
The operation
POS, HR and cost control were running from the first service, so the numbers were visible from day one. Paul’s formula was the test for every decision: good food, good service, fun ambience, all at the right price.
The launch
We opened in November 2018 with 40 covers over two floors, and gave guests reasons to talk about us: the bingo wheel, the monthly secret dish and a room made for photographs.
I have never seen so many people happy to see the bill arrive!
Paul Sarlas, on Bao & Bing-go
The result
A night market in Marylebone
Three weeks after opening, the feedback was excellent and the reviews were strong. Time Out later gave Bao & Bing four stars, picking out the neon-lit basement and the teahouse-style private room.
Menu, drinks, design, operations and marketing worked together to create a playful, immersive interpretation of Taiwanese culture, and a restaurant that stood apart in Marylebone.
For our clients it shows something simple: we are prepared to put our own money behind the method we recommend, and we know what it takes to open and run a restaurant, not only to plan one. Read Paul’s own account in Developing a concept with blood, sweat and expertise.
40
Covers across two floors
<10
Weeks from Italian deli to opening night
4/5
Time Out review, June 2019
